by Tl Reeve
He nodded. In the beginning, after his parents left all those years ago, he’d never thought they’d return either. Amazing what ten years and the death of a power-hungry ruthless, alpha did to change your perspective on everything. They’d returned last summer and begun rebuilding their home, making it what it once was, their mom and dad’s pride and joy. “Not a problem. I think we all understand her.”
“You’re right. She’ll be staying at Miss Kathy and Clyde’s place while she figures out her next move.”
“All right.” He glanced at his watch. “Well, I guess I should be going. Don’t want to be late.”
“Great.” Shawn’s cell rang, and he grabbed it, glancing at the screen. “I gotta take this.” He looked at Graham. “Give me a call when you’ve picked her up, so I can let Miss Kathy know she’s on the way.”
“Will do.”
Stepping out into the midday sun, he startled at a soft yelp. Lost in thought, he hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going and bumped into Tinks. His hands came out to brace her, so she didn’t fall. The eccentric artist seemingly flitted around town, helping everyone she could as she went. With her eye for art, she’d helped design some of the businesses logos, including Shawn’s. Glancing down, he grinned. “Sorry ’bout that. Stupid me for not paying attention to where I was going.”
“Not a problem. I swear, if my head wasn’t attached to my shoulders, I’d lose it.” She huffed. “Did you just come out of Shawn’s office?”
He nodded.
“Didn’t happen to see a fan-tipped paintbrush did you?” She searched through her bag again, pausing momentarily to push a stray lock of multicolor hair behind her ear. “I could have sworn I had it with me when I left.”
“No, sorry. I didn’t. But Shawn is in there for a few more minutes if you want to check with him.”
“Crap. That one was expensive. Bobbi is always reminding me not to be so damn absentminded.” He could only imagine the conversations she’d had with her sister. Though they’d been back for over a year, he hadn’t seen the ornery woman around town. Tinks smirked, closing her bag. “I keep telling her, I’m a free spirit who can’t be tamed.”
He chuckled. “I believe you. I hope you find it. Hate to see you out a brush.”
She gave a shrug. “I’m sure it’ll turn up.”
***
Elle St. Claire stared out the window of the almost-empty bus. For the past two days, and three transfers, she’d perched close to the window—the mingling scents of the other passengers drove her wolf senses insane. Some people didn’t know what a bar of soap was for or how not to bathe in overpowering perfume and cologne.
As the vast rolling openness passed by, her last conversation with Shawn Blu replayed in her mind.
“But how?” She rubbed her forehead as she paced the spacious bedroom of the Charlotte mansion. She’d made sure to close the door behind her, so her fiancé, Rupert Wellington, couldn’t hear her.
“Over the years, the alpha was poisoned. No one will say who, and, when Drew returned, he killed Magnum,” Shawn told her. “Things have changed. It’s safe now. No one will hurt you. You have nothing to fear.”
Oh, she had plenty to fear. “I-I don’t know. Maybe I need a few more days.” She glanced down at the four-carat rock settled on her ring finger. Ten years ago, when she fled Black Hills, South Dakota, and headed east, she’d never contemplated this moment. And, heck, who’d have thought she’d be engaged to a senator’s son?
“The longer you take to decide, the more ways you’ll convince yourself you shouldn’t do this.”
Truth filled his words. “When?”
“I have a bus ticket for you. You’ll leave tomorrow.” The implied “don’t tell anyone where you’re going” hung between them. She knew the rules. However, she’d have to leave Rupert a note.
When she arrived in Charlotte, she’d had a safe home to stay in and a couple hundred dollars to her name. For the first few months, she worked under-the-table, washing dishes, babysitting for her co-workers when she needed to make ends meet. Then she met a woman who could get her a birth certificate and a social security card. With those things, she was able to better her life.
“Okay.” She nibbled her bottom lip. To return home and live with her pack again. To be among her own kind. To let her wolf run free. “I’ll do it.”
The bus rolled to a stop. The air brakes blew out compressed air as they locked into place, signaling she’d arrived at her destination. Standing, she waited for the others to disembark before grabbing her purse from the overhead bin. When she finally stepped off the bus, the dry heat of summer hit her. Nothing like the oppressive wetness she’d become accustomed to in Charlotte, but it still grabbed her.
She squinted, glancing around the quaint town. Ten years ago, she’d waited at the same stop for transportation out of the hills. Breathing deep, she drew in the fresh scent of wilderness and home. Her wolf pranced, overjoyed by the idea of running free once more.
Since leaving, she’d bound her wolf, only running every few months so not to draw attention to herself—a small price to pay for what little freedom she’d accrued after leaving Los Lobos. It’d been one of the reasons she’d agreed to come home, that and she had a plan. Last night, while the headlights of cars passed on the opposite side of the freeway, the soft snores of the patrons around her keeping her awake, she knew what she needed to do.
Her upcoming nuptials must be done with a clear conscience. She had to tell Rupert about her dual nature. She wanted to show him her wolf. Coming home and talking to Drew would be the first step. Once he gave her permission to bring Rupert to pack lands, she’d explain who and what she was and start their new life together with her pack. Though Rupert wanted to run for office and follow in his father’s footsteps in North Carolina, he could do so in South Dakota, she assured herself.
After stepping out of the motor coach, she grabbed her overnight tote from the baggage compartment and moved away from everyone. From here, she knew the way home. Too bad she couldn’t shift and run the rest of the way. Her wolf wanted to. But with her bag? Maybe not.
As she rounded the front of the bus, she stopped dead in her tracks. The scent of sandalwood and pine combined with the subtle hint of leather wafted in the air. She’d never forgotten his scent. When she was a pup, she’d have given anything to roll all over him to keep Graham’s scent close to her.
Her stomach tightened as her heart lodged in her throat. What is he doing here? So far, he hadn’t seen her.
The years had been kind to him. Tall, and rangy, he filled out those jeans to the point she wondered if he painted them on. The top three buttons of his Western-style shirt were undone, the sleeves rolled up, exposing his thickly corded forearms. His black cowboy hat sat low, shielding his eyes from the blazing sun.
Guilt lanced her gut as she stared at him. Her wolf demanded she march right over to the man and claim what was hers, yet the diamond solitaire on her ring finger stilled the hormonal response she had for the man.
You’re taken. Your soon-to-be husband is all you need. Not a mate. She’d known when she met Rupert, he wasn’t the one. However, she never thought she’d be returning home. Nor did she think she’d ever see Graham again. The wolf in her yearned to find the Truesdale family and go to them. But if she’d returned, Magnum would have killed her and, in turn, figured out Ryker hadn’t done his job, which would have meant not only his death but put countless others at risk.
Grabbing her bag and straightening her shoulders, she headed for him. The minute he saw her, his demeanor changed. His shoulders tensed. His eyes narrowed. His whole body poised to attack—chase.
Her wolf hoped so. The woman…not so much.
But you’re standing in front of your mate.
Not good.
How is this possible? Her scent curled around him. Sunflowers and sunshine. She’s alive. After all these years.
His dick thickened behind the fly of his jean
s. His wolf pushed forward, demanding he be let loose to claim what was rightfully his. He fisted his hands at his sides, afraid of what would happen if he touched her.
Control. He needed to grab this shit by the reins and slow down the wolf’s roll. He allowed his gaze to slide over her. Still the pretty little ash-blonde beauty with curls, she hadn’t changed a bit. Her big brown doe eyes drew him in. Elle St. Claire. He’d have questioned whether or not this was real if he hadn’t been standing before her while drops of perspiration rolled down his nape. He lost all ability to speak, afraid if he did she might disappear.
“Hi.” The single syllable punched him in the gut. “Long time no see.”
No shit. The last time he saw her, she’d been running home after spending the afternoon with him on the farm. A few hours later, the acrid smell of burning wood and human flesh had permeated the air. Two days later, after he pleaded with his father to let him go, he saw the burned-out shell of her house. Her death, along with her mother and father’s, was announced that afternoon by Ryker.
“Hi,” he grunted.
She fidgeted, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, teasing the fuck out of him. The beast within him rose again, baring his teeth, demanding he take what was rightfully his. Instead, he held himself still, forcing his wolf down. Mounting her in the middle of a crowd would cause undue attention.
“So.” She fiddled with the handle of her luggage. “I guess you’re here to collect me?”
“Yep.”
“Do you want to go, then?” She lifted her eyebrows in question.
“Yes.” He grabbed her bag and led her to his truck. After placing her bag in the bed of the vehicle, he opened the door for her. “Shouldn’t take long.”
“No, it shouldn’t.”
With a curt nod, he closed the passenger door. Elle-fucking-St. Claire. After all this time of him and the rest of his family being home, why hadn’t someone told him the truth? Why did they keep his mate away from him? Bigger question, who the hell had known the truth about her? He slid in beside her and started the truck, dropped it into gear, and pulled away from the curb.
“Things have changed.” His words came out rougher than he’d intended, but he fought a losing game with his baser instincts. Knowing he’d have to be with her for the next eleven miles, scenting her sweet aroma, might literally drive his wolf insane.
“Yeah, Shawn told me.” She fidgeted, wringing her hands then twisting them in the hem of her skirt. The afternoon sunlight glinted off something on her finger as she unclenched the material.
Fuck. He pulled her hands apart—the skin-to-skin contact kicking his heart into overdrive—and glared at the sparkler adorning her ring finger. “Son of a bitch,” he growled. “When did you go and get yourself married?”
Jerking free, she tucked her hands in her lap and angled away from him. “Not that it’s any of your business”—Elle lifted her chin—“but I’m not married. I’m engaged to a wonderful human. His daddy’s a senator.”
Shit. He shifted his focus to the road. “He ain’t your mate.” His wolf snarled, gnashing his teeth at the thought of another man touching her. Get your shit together. He squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Taking several deep breaths, which only served to draw more of her natural perfume into his nostrils, fed his longing to have her one more day.
“We’ll see.” Her haughty reply challenged his assertion.
Yes, we will. “You’ll be staying with Miss Kathy.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Okay.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence, Elle staring out the passenger window, Graham not daring to ask for details he didn’t want to know. Taking the turn off the highway, he followed the road into the hills.
“We’ll be home shortly.” As they bumped along the rutted dirt road, the conversation he’d had with his sister Lily several months ago replayed in his head.
“Why don’t you ask Shawn for help to find Elle?” Lily rolled out the dough to make some of her famous biscuits.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” He leaned against the counter. “You were so young at the time, and Mom and Dad wanted to protect you.” He took a breath. Better to just rip the Band-Aid off. “Elle’s dead. Her house burned down, and her and her parents’ bodies were found inside. She’s never coming back.”
Tears welled in his sister’s eyes. She turned away, and he wanted to howl in outrage.
“I’m sorry, Lily.”
The country twang of Travis Tritt’s voice filled his truck. The sound jerked him out of his thoughts. Hitting the talk button, he then unhooked it from the dash clip and brought it to his ear. “Yeah?”
“Everything go okay?” Shawn asked.
“Fine. On our way. Anything else?”
“Uh,” he said.
“Something wrong?”
“Why would anything be wrong? Another wolf is home. We should be celebrating.” He cut his gaze to the woman occupying the seat next to him.
“O-kay, well, Miss Kathy said she’s at the bookstore, and Clyde is at the house. So bring her on.”
“Will do. We’ll be there in about five minutes.” He hit the end call button and threw his phone into the cup holder.
“You’re angry.”
“Nope.” He drove past the gas station on the outskirts of town. “I have nothing to be mad about. Welcome home, Elle.”
Chapter Three
Two days later….
Graham sat astride his paint mare as the cattle entered the chute. Half were going to slaughter to provide meat for the town, the other half to the back side of the property to graze. Two days ago, he’d dropped Elle off at Miss Kathy and Clyde’s house, and, like a chicken shit bastard, he hadn’t gone back to see her. He used the anger of being blindsided— along with the rock sitting on her ring finger—to explain why he stayed away.
He’d never be able to give her the same things she’d obviously become accustomed to over the years. Though his family did well for themselves, they weren’t rolling in dough. They were simple ranchers, and she was a socialite. How had things changed so dramatically for them?
From the moment he saw her all those years ago, standing in a field of wildflowers, the sun casting a golden halo around her, he’d known she belonged to him. Her long, ash-blonde hair blew gently in the breeze, while her big, brown eyes glittered with arousal and mischief. Her willowy figure and pixie features did things to him. Just the thought of her made his gut clench and his heart lodge in his throat. He’d missed her something awful. Mourned her death and feared he’d die as well, of a broken heart. Yet the muscle continued to beat within his chest, a vicious reminder of the broken man he’d become.
His parents, even before Elle’s house burned down, knew the potential dangers of staying while Magnum reigned supreme. Seen the damage he could inflict to the females. His mother would rather die in the human world than allow anything to happen to her baby girl or her sons. So they’d escaped. Since their parents had passed away from massive heart attacks, he and Kalum had continued to watch over their sister.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear something has gotten under your skin,” Kalum said, not taking his eyes of the cattle. The heifers were in season, and, by the end of the week, he was sure they’d be with calf. His brother prided himself on his cattle and breeding hardy stock.
If only it was just under my skin. Nudging the mare forward, Graham stopped beside his brother then got down. “Want the truth?”
“No,” Kalum drawled. “Lie to me.”
He laughed, for all the wrong reasons. “What if I told you I helped Shawn bring a wolf home two days ago?”
“I’d say it was a good day for our pack. Why?”
“What if I told you it was Elle St. Claire?”
His brother’s slack-jawed, wide-eyed response spoke volumes. “I don’t think I heard you properly.”
“You heard me
just fine. Elle is alive.”
“But…we saw the house. We smelled it. The bodies. We….” Grieved. Kalum didn’t have to say it; the understanding was there.
“She got out. I’m not sure how, but she’s returned.” He snorted and shook his head. “And, if that’s not shocking enough, she’s engaged.”
“What-the-ever-loving-fuck? I thought she was, is your mate.” His brother scrubbed his face. “No wonder you look so messed up.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” He set his foot on the pen’s metal bar, the midmorning sun warming the back of his neck. Summer had finally come to the hills. Wildflowers dotted the area around them, adding pops of purple and pink to the yellow barberry flowers.
“You have to convince her she’s making a mistake first then remind her what being your mate means.” His brother’s voice held absolute conviction. Since mating Fawn, Kalum had changed. He no longer existed, he lived. He reminded Graham of their father, especially when his mate looked at him.
“Maybe.” Shit. He didn’t know what to do. His wolf said claim her. The rational part of him said he’d lost his chance, even though he’d never really had one. The man and the beast warred for dominance inside him, leaving him even more confused and fucked up than before.
Kalum squinted as he gazed out over the pasture. “I’ll give you a week.”
Graham sighed. “A week?”
“Whatever you’re trying to figure out, get it straight then claim your mate. Don’t do something you’ll regret. After all the shit that’s happened in the last few months, you need to find your happiness.”
Yeah. Whatever. “Sure, brother. I’ll just mosey over to Miss Kathy’s house, demand Elle leave her fiancé, and mate her. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Who is this guy?”
“A human. His dad’s a senator or something.”
“Well, shit.” Kalum growled.
“She’s still skittish, and I’m worried about pushing too fucking hard. Let me do this at my pace.” Hell, he still hadn’t had a chance to reconcile his feelings. Their reunion had started with a surprise rabbit punch to his heart followed by a running war of fury and balls-aching need. Today, he walked around bruised, battered, and in a fog of disbelief and anger.
